Deputy Cody Lam said he and several other officers initiated the program six years ago, after participating in similar programs in other jurisdictions. The first year, the sheriff's office raised about $7,000, and about 40 kids participated. Since then, the number of children has doubled.

About 80 will shop with deputies this year at the Wal-Marts in Tabb and Lightfoot. Lam said that each child was given about $100 to shop and that the event was possible only with the support of the community.

"The public and the businesses - we have a couple of large supporters and just regular people who give $5, $10," he said. "Every dollar collected for Shop With a Sheriff goes to the children."

Lam said that schools and churches in the area chose the families to participate in the program and that most kids weren't more than 10 or 11. Each deputy is assigned a child and helps them find the things on their shopping list.

"It gives the child the opportunity to find out that the deputy is there to help them," Lam said. "We want children to know that they can always come to us."

Deputy Mike Russell, who has participated in the program in past years, said he's always amazed by the selflessness of the children.

"You give an 8- or 9-year-old $100, you think they're going to blow it all on themselves," he said. "A majority of the time, they have a list of all their family members. You kind of have to remind them, 'You can get a little something for yourself, too.' "

The sheriff's office is still accepting donations for the program. They can be made payable to Shop With a Sheriff and mailed to the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office, Shop With a Sheriff, P.O. Box 99, Yorktown, VA 23690.